Republicans are making the case they got some big things about the COVID-19 pandemic right as the country moves toward normalcy under Democratic rule.
GOP leaders note red states that ended their lockdowns earlier or were less restrictive for most of the past year are outperforming many of their Democratic counterparts economically. They claim prescience, or at least early open-mindedness, on the possible China-based Wuhan lab origins of the virus.
And, notably, they are quietly touting former President Donald Trump’s role in vaccine development through his Operation Warp Speed.
All of this comes as President Joe Biden was elected with a mandate to get the pandemic under control, and even blue states are beginning to reopen as half of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated. Republicans have seen themselves tagged as anti-vaccine — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia went viral invoking the Holocaust in criticizing what she sees as preferential treatment for the vaccinated — and blamed for mismanaging the pandemic under Trump.
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Apart from whatever benefits he received from the mass mail-in voting largely enabled by COVID-19 protocols in the states, Biden won big with voters who believed Trump was a failure during the pandemic. The Democrat won those who cited the coronavirus as their top issue by 66 points, according to exit polls.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel took to the airwaves this week to celebrate Republican governors leading the charge on the economic reopening, citing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
Meanwhile, Democratic governors who were widely praised last year have seen their records reappraised. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a recall over his pandemic restrictions. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer triggered a backlash by violating her own social distancing requirements at an East Lansing bar. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is embroiled in a scandal over concealed nursing home deaths after his policies contributed to the spread of the virus among their elderly residents, in addition to mounting allegations of sexual misconduct.
“It shows that Republican governors led the way: DeSantis, Noem, Abbott,” McDaniel told Fox News on Monday. “Democrat governors that were applauded and cheered by the media were the ones that had it wrong: Cuomo, Newsom, and Whitmer.”
Even Trump took a bit of a victory lap on Tuesday.
“Now everybody is agreeing that I was right when I very early on called Wuhan as the source of COVID-19, sometimes referred to as the China Virus,” he said in a statement issued through his political action committee. “To me it was obvious from the beginning but I was badly criticized, as usual. Now they are all saying ‘He was right.’ Thank you!”
Some of the highest-profile Democratic advocates of restrictions on businesses have been dogged by hypocrisy charges. Newsom had his meal at the exclusive restaurant French Laundry and Whitmer is enduring her bout of bar-related headlines, for which she apologized.
“The stories, whether it is about members of her administration taking trips out of town, or about the governor herself leaving town or breaking social distancing rules, all lend themselves to the narrative that administration officials follow one set of rules while expecting Michigan residents and businesses to follow a different, more stringent set,” said Dennis Darnoi, a Republican strategist in the state. “Her initial approach to the pandemic earned her broad support but, as of late, approval of her handling of the COVID crisis in Michigan breaks along partisan lines.”
“She may have apologized for breaking her own rules again, but that rings hollow to Michiganders who were fined, issued violations, and even jailed for not strictly following her orders,” said Tori Sachs, executive director of the conservative Michigan Freedom Fund. “It also leaves millions of more people wondering why they had to follow these ridiculous orders since she didn’t. It appears the people of Michigan are tired of Whitmer having one set of rules for herself and another for the rest of us.”
Nationally, changing the terms of the COVID-19 debate may prove a heavy lift for Republicans. The FiveThirtyEight polling averages show Biden with a 63.1% job approval rating for his response to the pandemic. While this varies along partisan lines, Biden is buoyed by 92% of Democrats and 60.3% of independents. His support from Republicans on this particular issue is nearly 32%.
“We’re very mindful of the pandemic, ensuring we’re doing — taking every step we can to keep the American people safe,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday. “And that’s why we rely on the guidance of public health officials.”
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But Republicans are quick to point out that changes in GOP-led states regarding unemployment benefits helped push jobless claims to a pandemic low after disappointing numbers the previous month. The Wuhan lab theory advanced by Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton and some in the Trump administration last year is receiving a respectful second hearing after reports about sick staff. And the economic numbers look better in some red states, such as Florida, without markedly worse COVID numbers.
Republicans hope to retake Congress in next year’s midterm elections when Democrats will be defending slender majorities in both houses — especially as the party in the White House is usually disfavored.
